New England College Books

I bought this because I keep on getting flashbacks of the play I watched, with the Kathleen Turner and gang revival. Nothing like watching this powerful, brutal and extremely clever play by this master of metaphors - bravo to Albee - on stage...and feel yourself squirming in your seat, yet enjoying every gut-wrenching moment of it. Not for the faint-hearted this. A play written ahead of its time. This is a keeper on my shelves.

If you ever get the chance to see a live production of this classic American drama, run and get your tickets. You will not be disappointed. Edward Albee's drama stands the test of time. George and Martha are in the throes of marriage abyss where the lies, unhappiness and frustration rules the relationship. Theirs is a game not to be played by amateurs, enter Nick and Honey, a young married couple about to get stuck in the web of deceit. The booze flows, the barbs fly and the game is on. This is above all else one of the great dramas of American theatre. I was in a production of this great play a few years back, playing Nick. It was probaly the most challenging play I was ever a part of. To totally divest yourself in it by night's end I was wiped out, emotionally and physically. Awesome experience.

I was shocked to see that the new revision omits the end of Act II, "Walpurgisnacht". George and Honey have a key confrontation. George says "How to you make your secret little murders stud-boy doesn't know about, hunh? Pills? PILLS? You got a secret supply of pills? Or what? Apple-jelly? WILL POWER?"

Several pages are omitted; perhaps Albee wanted to decrease the run-time of the play. I have no idea. The shortening and the omission of key speeches are not worth the addition of the "F" word. Honey and Nick become a less complex and nuanced couple; her participation in secrets and her ambivalence about child-birth and motherhood are, essentially, removed from the text.

It's an unkind cut.

I won't bother to go into how terrific a play this is (the five stars should indicate that), but having just seen the touring production with Kathleen Turner and Bill Irwin, I have to wonder which version has been published here. The current touring production "is based upon the revised text of 2004" and differs from the original in several significant aspects. Perhaps the most significant change is that the new version never makes it explicit that George is the same character who accidentally killed his own parents--a crucial plot point in the original. Nor do we any longer hear Honey admit that she doesn't want to have children. There are other changes, with several other significant cuts and some rewritten lines here and there. But is this book, which was published in 2006, the "revised" text of 2004 or not? It would be nice to know.

We've all been there: writhing with discomfort as guests in someone's home because the host couple can't seem to stop arguing. That's the predicament Nick and Honey find themselves in after stopping over at George and Martha's house for drinks following a party for the college Nick and George teach at (and which Martha's father owns and operates). But this is no petty disagreement that George and Martha are having; Nick and Honey have become unwitting accomplices in the psychological warfare that George and Martha have engaged in after years of bitter disappointment and rivalry. Where it started is left open for interpretation, although it seems that when George and Martha were married George had his eyes on following in his father-in-law's footsteps, and instead found himself hopelessly stuck after failing to move up in his department (to which Martha nastily insinuates that he just didn't have "the STUFF," a multi-pronged jab at George's career, intelligence, and ability to satisfy his wife). But the depths of their unhappiness -- and other possible explanations for it -- are only revealed in layers, with the biggest twist saved for the final minutes of Edward Albee's diabolical gem of a play. And what of the hapless guests, the newlyweds Nick and Honey? They turn out to have some secrets and disappointments of their own that come out in the course of the evening, but it is George and Martha's pathos that claim the spotlight. Their manipulations, lies, insults, and betrayals may be difficult to watch, but "Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?" is spellbinding drama at its best, and luckily for those of you who haven't seen it performed, the play reads just as well as it plays. I would, however, recommend watching it after you have read it -- even if only as a point of interest, because the roles of George and Martha have inspired many great performances. Kathleen Turner captivated Broadway with her rendition of Martha in 2005, but if you can't get access to a showing the 1966 movie with the inimitable pairing of Richard Burton and Elizabeth Taylor (with George Segal and Sandy Dennis supporting) is far and away the definitive version. This is not to detract from the written play, of course, just to point out that "Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?" is that rare play that excells in both formats, and should be experienced accordingly.

I found I really liked the cover alot, and was the reason I even looked at the book. The story itself was very good, enjoyed all the twist and turns as well as the characters. I am happy to have added to by book collection, and recommend. Cudo's to the illustrator of the cover!

For all intrigue lovers and American Anglophiles, here is a book that will entertain you during both slow summer days and long winter evenings. Or rather who could resist the story of British Royal family political intrigue and romance of the lonely hearts all intertwined with the American professor's quest for his ancestral roots and much more?
As we accompany Malcolm Bride, gentlemanly, principled and "ruggedly handsome" professor of American history at Amherst, on his long-postponed trip to England, little do we know the twists and turns his search for ancestors will take. We move quickly from quaint London inn to Hall of Records and dark cemeteries, follow winding streets from English pubs and underground clubs to Windsor Castle, polo matches and dinner parties at Kensington. As the scenes change from chapter to chapter, the cast of noble and scumbag characters, both royal and ordinary, is introduced with nuanced descriptive details. The dialogs are spirited with particularly witty and sharp exchanges between Bride and Colin Crowe, the reporter for BBC Radio 4 on the scent of a "hot," Royal bloods' story.
A long-time journalist himself, Mr. Kent brings his characters to life with a keen sense of reality and drama as he masters "the random timing and juxtaposition of life's little events." The inner politics of the Royal family, however imaginary, play on modern readers' zest for gossip and offer a thrill of insider's view of celebrities. We feel privy to conversations, feelings and situations otherwise far removed from our daily lives. Bride's original quest for truth gets complicated when it turns into a story of deception and murder. As lies proliferate and stories are fabricated in order to discover an actual story, the very nature of truth today is questioned. A post-modern reader finds pleasure in the realization that we are reading a made-up story about truth that can be reached only through creating more untruths. The climax of coronation scene is slightly tinted by the cowboy bravado of western-like chases and escapes crowding the closing chapters of the book. Still the big questions about the nature of truth and how we get to it today powerfully resonate in the reader's mind till the very last page of When the Ravens Die. Enjoy reading it as much as I did.

Amherst History professor Dr. Malcolm Bride knows Americans raised him with love, but London is where he was born in 1945 and he needs to learn about his birth mother. In London, he finds the record of twin boys born to Bridget Allison and the death certificate of his sibling. He visits nearby cemeteries searching for his brother's resting-place. One evening while Bride is nearby, a woman visits a graveside. She accidentally drops something before fleeing. Malcolm finds a nineteenth century Cartier Pillbox so rare that most in existence are owned by a museum or the Royal Family. He realizes the visitor had to be Princess Catherine and he makes contact with her, not easy to do with a royal.

At the same time, a bomb kills most of the leaders of the Conservative Party. Prince George, heir to the throne occupied for a half century by his ailing mother, cuts a deal with the Conservatives that allows him to run for Prime Minister, unheard of in the long history of this proud country. Meanwhile, Bride and Catherine fall in love while he unravels a mystery over five decades old that if revealed would derail George's precedent setting power play.

This political thriller wrapped inside a delightful heritage mystery and containing a warm humanizing romance is a royal treasure. The fast-paced story line grips the reader, but uses coincidence to first accelerate the plot. Bride is a great moral protagonist whose stubborn need to find the truth (paralleled by a reporter) will grip the audience. George is an ideal villain doing good deeds only when it further his public image. Cameron Kent provides a sure fan favorite with this winner.

Harriet Klausner

This is a very intense book, hard to put down. You want to keep reading to see what on earth could happen next to the main character of the book. This person could be a continuing series for Mr. Kent!! It makes you wonder what he's going to do next with his life after finding out all he did about his past.. I hope Mr. Kent keeps writing, I will buy his next book!

When The Ravens Die by Cameron Kent is a chilling mystery that blends political intrigue and the machinations of the British Royal Family into a suspenseful, attention gripping tale about the passing of legends and the onset of mortality. Background secrets and aggressive political cover-ups abound in this twisted and exciting tale. When The Ravens Die is highly recommended reading, and clearly documents author Cameron Kent as having a genuine literary talent with a flair for the mystery/suspense genre.

Best known for Goodbye, Columbus, Portnoy's Complaint, and his Pulitzer Prize-winning novel, American Pastoral, Philip Roth's introspective 1997 novel, The Professor of Desire, tells the story of Jewish intellectual, David Kepesh, a celebrated literature professor. The Professor of Desire is the second in a trilogy of Kepesh novels; the other two novels are The Breast(1972) and The Dying Animal (2001). While he is brilliant when it comes to literature, David Kepesh lacks understanding when it comes to women.

The Professor of Desire not only follows Kepesh's career as an academic, but explores his sexual desires. Kepesh has an obsession for women's breasts, and lusts after female students. His obsession for women annoys them. While studying in London, he is drawn to two Swedish girls, Birgitta and Elisabeth. In California, while teaching literature and writing papers on Chekhov, Kepesh is drawn to a promiscuous woman, Helen. Kepesh then takes a teaching position at New York College, where he teaches Kafka and Flaubert's Madame Bovary, while lusting after his students and fantasizing about Kafka's prostitute. (He thinks of his literature class as "Desire 341.") The Professor of Desire attests to Philip Roth's rare genius as a writer. Highly recommended.

G. Merritt

In his earliest works, Roth shows many of the same qualities and themes that made him a successful writer. In "The Professor of Desire", David Kepesh is a gifted young man who hits all the bumps in the road of life. While much of the focus is on Kepesh's love life, his professional and family life are entangled with his love life. At his choice, his romantic relationship become the focus.

Finding love is never easy. As is the case David's first love Helen, early instincts of love are often misguided. Fragmented by the failure of his first marriage, David then finds Claire. With his emotions no longer distracting from his professional life, David is able to be honest with himself. He tracks the life of Kafka in Eastern Europe, meeting the former [mistress] of Kafka which helps to place his own love life in perspective, only to have it confused by a returning Helen. There would seem no better way than to put one's personal crisis aside than to compare it to the great human tragedy of the Holocaust. It is not until the final pages that Roth's literary device makes sense.

In the scope of Roth's work, "The Professor of Desire" is a very raw work that shows the promise of his later career. Like many of Roth's characters, David Kepish's life is spiraling out of control. The overall storytelling and humor make this a great read. The weak ties between the conflicts leave a certain degree of doubt about the author's intent and leave a dissatisfactory payoff.

This is the first novel by Philip Roth that I actually like. Portnoy's Complaint was a good hundred-page novella, spread out over a three-hundred page book; the other pages were filled with the dross of his political opinions, and his kvetching about his parents. Operation Shylock was also too pre-occupied with pushing a political agenda (but just what agenda, we are never sure). This is Roth's primary fault as an author - he is too didactic. I find that I really don't care much about what Roth's political opinions are. Ironically, this is probably one of the attributes that make him a critical darling - it shows that he thinks "deep thoughts."

The Professor of Desire is blessedly free of politics. In it, Roth sticks with the subjects he knows best: sex and relationships. Young David Kepesh is a sexually frustrated young student. That changes while studying abroad in Swinging London, where he finds that what they say about Swedish girls is true. Things take a turn for the worse after the end of his disastrous marriage finds him crushed by loneliness in New York. With the help of a psychiatrist, Kepesh tries to discover if he will ever be able to commit to anyone or experience happiness.

The Professor of Desire finds Roth at a more mature place in his career. Gone is the odious kvetching about his parents that polluted so much of Portnoy's Complaint; the parents in this book are treated with sympathy. At one point, a character points out to Kepesh that there is no point in mining the workings of a Jewish family for his fiction anymore. He is also less homophobic in this novel - but not much so. There are still things about Roth's style that take getting used to; I don't think there's anything profound in his refusal to offset dialogue into separate paragraphs - it just makes it harder to keep track of who is speaking. However, The Professor of Desire is a short, lyrical novel that is the best of anything I've read of his so far.

In THE PROFESSOR OF DESIRE, Roth intertwines three subjects. These are the academic travails and career of professor David Kepesh; the struggle between the professor's lustful nature and his search for love in marriage; and the simultaneous closeness and distance that exists between the sophisticated professor Kepesh and his parents, who owned a hotel in the Catskills.

For each of these subjects, Roth shows a professor Kepesh who is highly conflicted. As a lustful young Fulbright scholar, for example, Kepesh connects to two Swedish college students. As a ménage a trois, they push the boundaries of sex, expressing a need deep in David. But in doing so, Kepesh loses his academic focus and becomes obsessed with the anguish the ménage inflicts on one partner. Later, Kepesh marries Helen, who is an image of female perfection and an apparent solution to his sexual and marital desires. But Helen is unhappy in mundane marriage and tortures David, makes him impotent, and causes him to behave strangely with his pupils. Ultimately, Kepesh is able to sublimate his intense sexual drive, creating a great-books course where sex is the preoccupation of each author. But such sophistication separates him from his salt-of-the-earth parents. And, it does nothing to accommodate professor Kepesh to the ordinariness of a steady relationship and mature love.

TPOD is an engrossing book but ultimately very sad, with Kepesh identifying dynamics in his life that resemble the literature of Chekov--where characters are quietly unsatisfied--and Kafka--where a blocked and distorted sexuality often energizes the narrative. Says the professor of desire: "And this life I love and have hardly gotten to know! And robbed by whom? It always comes down to myself!"

Reading `The Professor of Desire' is like trying to track down trails of rambling thoughts as one should have expected from reading Philip Roth, the pleasure one normally derives from the `effect' rather than the `cause', where the plots are generally almost non-existence in this work, instead all efforts are made to explore one individual's inner world through a series of trivial events and fragments, expand from his childhood into his adult life.

I can't say I have been successful in my attempt to fully understand the book, and neither I can claim thoroughly enjoy a good story -for there is none to begin with but if one should read carefully into the pagers, one may find Roth at his best for exploring the depths of human mind -I suppose that's where and why one is attracted to Roth in general, his strength in penetrating the deepest human side and relating such to his readers. David Kepesh, our professor of desire, has taken an odyssey of self-discovery and in pursuit for LOVE where he must overcome his own strong inner conflicts of constant longing of DESIRE, and at the end unable to find a balance between LOVE and DESIRE in term of breaching the gap. The relationship between LOVE and DESIRE may also let us draw a distinction between `WANT' and `NEED'. Life poses a series of struggles for the co existence of `WANT' and `NEED', where the `NEED' is more of a psycho-physical being predefined within us while `WANT' is what we expect ourselves to attain in life; and the quest for happiness in life lies in whether we can resort within ourselves a peaceful coexistence for the two.

I suspect in reality we must all more or less being predestined to let a bit of such human tragedy lives within us, to face choices for and between `WANT' and `NEED'. Not exactly always a personal choice to be made, like in David Kepesh's case, a person destined to fail in relationship, where fate offers no choice but the impossibility in breaching a gap between LOVE and DESIRE; any choice, one over the other, must surrender him insurmountable sacrifice while no single choice can render him any happiness. Some of us, I for one, should not find it a surprise to cope with this paradox in real life.

Philip Roth, I presume a master at his own game as his reputation warrants more credits than I can truly appreciate his talent. Either the philosophical means in this novel is too much beyond my comprehension or I am thinking way too much in term of substance this book never means to offer. To retract my earlier mentioned `cause' and `effect' about reading Roth, for I may not be the best person to pass this judgment base on having read only three of his books, first the `The Dying Animal', then `The Ghost Writer' and now this `The Professor of Desire'; given none of the three is said to best represent Roth except him being praised on achieving high quality in ALL his work.

Frankly speaking I can't find such impressiveness in any of the three books I read, and meanwhile, an inner voice keeps reminding me for reading more of him or a second-read on 'The Professor of Desire', in order to find new meaning and greatness I might have missed - can it be another case of `WANT' and `NEED' recurring into real life that I must get myself ready to do battle with Roth?

Unlike the randomness that is usually at play with Iris Murdoch's novels, The Book and the Brotherhood sees a group of Oxfordians on their quest not only for a better world but to the betterment of each other. What is the Good and how mortals stray into playing at God find unexpected insight and horror to both characters and reader.

As is her practice, Murdoch starts the novel with a dialogue among the characters making the reader to find out the relevant context.Too many characters disturbed in one way or the other compel the reader to go back in the story to find the link. The novelist's description of the chacters'views on God, Good and Reality compels admiration because, the tendency of the human being in this technological era is also not to arrive at a sane conclusion immediately on morals or philosophy.The moral and philosophical concerns of Iris murdoch in this novel are too heavy to grasp initially. As the work progresses, the reader realises the need for some soul searching to understand the relationships.The characterisation of Crimond and the homo-sexual relations of characters like Gerard, Jenkin etc provide much food for thought.The novel set in midsummer ends with the spring time of happiness in the life of Gulliver and Lily.

Ah, it was a happy day in Beaumaris library in 1993 that I came upon this, my first Iris Murdoch novel. The characters in this book actually live in my head - and many of the set-piece scenes too - the opening Commem Ball with music by the appropriately-named band The Treason of the Clerks (puctuated by Gerard's disturbing interview with his old tutor Professor Levquist), Jenkin Riderhood's London flat with the windows open year-round, the squalor of Violet and Tamar Henshaw's quarters with the television permanently on (the mere presence of a televison is a sign of utter moral depravity in Iris's world!), Gerard's love for his parrot, Duncan Cambus's leonine mane of dark hair, the menacing ideological purity and commitment of David Crimond, half the cast of the novel ice-skating on Rose Curtland's pond, the tower in Ireland where two of the characters take refuge as lovers, and then the dark night that they deliberately drive their cars at each other along a country lane... I have written all of those from memory. If you seek a highbrow soap-opera about the liberal conscience in Englan just before the Wall came down, with some ice-skating thrown in, look no further.

Iris Murdoch's "The Book and the Brotherhood" is a marvelously droll novel of manners that has the audacity to explore the philosophical and moral issues that have effectively paralyzed a group of `60s-era Oxford graduates. The novel opens, appropriately enough, at Oxford, where, in the shadow of their former classmates and professors, the friends have gathered some 25 years later for a Ball. The narrative follows the movements of the group in a Mozartian roundelay, as each is, in turn, humiliated by revenants that appear to mock the potential they have, with one notable exception, so ingloriously squandered. The title refers to a pact the graduates once made to underwrite a philosophical treatise to be written by David Crimond, the most charismatic of their set; to the consternation of each, however, it now appears that the book might actually become a reality, and the prospect of its publication leads the group to an orgy of self-reproach and soul searching. The event of the Ball also inspires one wife to leave her husband and to take up with Crimond, a decision that leads to unexpected complications in all their lives. The novel is full of comic and tragic moments whenever the principals, whom Murdoch likens to a chorus-line of snails, attempt to emerge from their shells. A second generation of thirty-somethings is headed down the same path of dalliance as their elders, or so it seems, until, in the final pages, Murdoch offer an affirmation, of sorts, in the form of a pending marriage. Readers familiar with earlier novels by the late Dame will not be disappointed by this weighty offering from 1987, which can only enhance Murdoch's already-secure reputation as one of the great novelists of her generation.

This novel may be Murdoch's finest. It has a wonderful and large cast of memorable characters; their sufferings are both moving and laughable. It has the finest parrot in all literature. The problem I first had with the novel was discovering what it was about. There were so many major characters and so many bizarre incidents that I could not easily find the book's theme--and I had been taught to look for themes. I think that at the heart of the novel, often unnoticed by its readers, is Murdoch's narrator. The narrator is almost never intrusive, but her presence makes the novel hang together.

This book is really good, it tells you what you need to know when examing a patient. it's systematic , so it tells you even the more basic stuff to the more complicated in step by step, how to record your results and even examples and what to expect from each exam.

hamilcar cordeiro

I found this book very informative as an international optometrist applying for licensure in Canada. Some procedures/techniques asked for by the boards I was not aware of initially.

This book is a must for every student and clinician in ophthalmology or optometry. It should be translated in other languages too. Easy to read, guides you through the procedures step by step. Some color pictures and a couple of updates in a later edition would make it excellent.

A complete guide to all primary care procedures that one performs during routine exams. The text is clear and concise on each procedure and explains normal and abnormal findings. The appropriate method for recording is also detailed in this book. This is a must for any optometry student or ophthalmology resident.

John Bayley CBE and Dame Iris Murdoch were married for almost 50 years. Their relationship was truly unique, special, and hard to replicate. They trusted each other, nurtured each other in literary criticism and writing, Their union was brought together during their time at Oxford where they lived for the remainder of their years together. JOhn writes lovingly about Iris even during her illness of Alzheimers which deteriorates the brain matter. Iris relied on her mind to write, analyze, and plan elaborate novels which were multi-storied and engaged the readers to think themselves. She was also a philosopher, college professor, etc. It's hard to imagine that Iris was no grand beauty but she had both inner and outer beauties. Sadly, her disease would rob them of so much more. Iris became more childlike and unable to care for herself while John became the primary caretaker. John who was in the shadow was now in the forefront without much help. It's hard watching the film without shedding a tear or reading this book without feeling something for somebody we never personally knew but by reading this book, we do learn about this amazing couple. We learn about their triumphs and failures. How they were just happy to be together and go swimming, if only happiness was that easy to find nowadays. John was a wonderful husband. I admire his truth, candidness, and revelations that their marriage was not always about sex and that Iris didn't care for it in general. They didn't have any children and neither seemed to mind that outcome of their marriage.

This book is the story of a marriage, a life together of two enormously intelligent writers, John Bayley and Iris Murdoch. Bayley tells the story of their forty - two years of marriage at the same time he describes more closely the four last years in which Iris Murdoch suffered from Alzheimer's. He writes with humor and quiet understanding, and his obvious admiration and love for his wife speak throughout the work.
The cruelty of Alzheimer's is somehow underlined when the one who suffers is a person of extraordinary mind , a devotee of the life of the mind . Bayley honestly and painfully portays the strange kind of blankness and absence which the Alzheimer sufferer often displays. He does this against a background of the story of two lives, each of one has been lived in part in the great solitude of outstanding creator endeavor. But he also very good relating their shared experiences.
Bayley is also tactful and restrained about a certain assymetry in their relation, relating probably much more to the early years when Iris was involved with others. One nonetheless feels Bayley's restrained anger in his description of the ' master figure ' who for a time seemed to be a center of Murdoch's intellectual life.
What however impresses and makes this work remarkable is the steady gaze of love and intelligence with which Bayley sees , envelopes and protects Murdoch . This book is a work of love and pain, and of great beauty. It also provides much valuable insight into that terrible condition when the person is physically present but mentally lost.

I've spent the last 3-4 years writing a memoir (Baby Catcher). Therefore, I'm immersing myself in creative NF and memoir, and this is one of the best. Only a consummate writer such as John Bailey could have pulled this off. I've heard others complain about his rambling style, meandering between distant past, near past, and present (and I haven't seen the movie yet), but I found the transitions seamless and the flow of time as effortless as thought itself. Bailey shows all phases of the caretaking of someone with late-stage Alzheimers, regret, humor, irritation, rage, impatience, love, silliness... Would that each of us be accompanied on our trip to life's end - however it may present itself - by someone similarly compassionate. And articulate. May John Bailey himself be equally eulogized.

I read Iris Murdoch's The Sea, The Sea, (which won the 1978 Booker Prize) on Dec 4, 1983, and her Under the Net (which was no. 95 on the Modern Library panel's list of the 100 greatest novels written in English in the 20th century) and was under-enthralled with both. So I wa not expecting much when I undertook to read her husband's memoir of his life with her (written during the last days of her life, she having died Feb. 8, 1999), especially since I could not believe it would be great to read about someone having Alzheimer's and of caring for such a person. I was very pleasantly surprised. Bayley's memoir is great reading, full of interesting information as well as a thoughtful and truthful-sounding account of their life as husband and wife. Illustrative of the former, on page 118 we learn that Aldous Huxley believed that Piero della Francesca's Resurrection was "the greatest painting in the world" (and it is great to go to the computer and see the painting!) and on page 164 et seq. we have a very uncomplimentary account of the 1981 Nobel-prize-winner Elias Canetti (his name is never mentioned, but there can be no doubt of his identity since the computer will tell those of us who did not know that Canetti is the author of Die Blendung). We have mention of Montague Rhodes James (and can go to the computer to read his some of his ghost stories, including "The Treasure of Abbot Thomas", the story referred to by name in this memoir). Since Bayley is an eminent literary critic (as the jacket describes him) the book abounds with interesting tidbits such as this, and almost persuades me I should read another Murdoch book! I found this book a great reading experience.

A mysterious lady. A dashing young suitor. A love that overcomes all obstacles. Sound like Disney's latest flick? Not so. It's John Bayley's narrative Elegy for Iris, a stunning memoir for his wife Iris Murdoch. In this real life fairy-tale story with a not so fairy-tale ending, Bayley recalls his life with Iris before Alzheimer's robbed her personality of it's usual depth, as well as the change the disease wrought in her, and in his life with her.

Elegy for Iris is the wonderfully detailed, lovingly written story of Iris Murdoch's and John Bayley's life together, told from Bayley's point of view. It tells of their meeting, the growth of their relationship, their unusual marriage, and the change in their lives after Iris became afflicted with Alzheimer's. From Bayley's "lady on a bicycle" to swimming in seemingly every main river in France and England; from Iris' diary entry "St. Antony's Dance. Fell down the steps, and seem to have fallen in love with J. We didn't dance much." to their unusual marriage of solitude; Bayley has written his story to enchant and amaze.

Bayley's attention to detail, even seemingly those that are minor or irrelevant, can be seen throughout the book. His descriptions, for instance, of his various outings with Iris make the memoir much more realistic. "Our first swim was in a river of the Pas-de-Calais, a deep, placid tributary of the Somme...The next was much farther south, in a steep and wild-wooded valley, with pine and chestnut growing up the mountains. The water was warm, and the stream so secluded that we slipped in with nothing on", is only a part of Bayley's extensive descriptions of their honeymoon. Water plays a large part in their lives; whenever Bayley and Iris go somewhere new, they find someplace to swim there. Water seems to be a symbol of change, of their changing lives throughout their years together.

Bayley's attention to detail can also be a detriment to the reader, however, as it makes the story-line difficult to follow at times. When he begins to tell one particular tale, he often will break into many tangents, that can entangle the reader and detract from the focus on the main narrative. "Our host, who had been getting lunch, was quite a time getting to the door. He was a brilliant green eyed doctor named Maurice Charlton...Maurice Charlton probably worked harder than either of us, or than both of us put together, I should say....Maurice Charlton died young, of cancer, I believe, more than twenty years ago." This can be somewhat confusing, and occurs throughout the book.

The description that Bayley gives their marriage is a striking one, and is a continuous theme throughout Elegy for Iris. He describes "one of the truest pleasures of marriage [as] solitude", using the words of Australian poet AD Hope that marriage is designed to `move [the partners] closer and closer apart.' This unusual description runs contrast to most peoples' beliefs on marriage, yet serves as a perfect description for Bayley's own marriage. "Such ignorance, such solitude! They suddenly seemed the best part of love and marriage. We were together because we were comforted and reassured by the solitariness we saw and were aware of in the other." This attitude seems predominant throughout the narrative, even after Iris is afflicted with Alzheimer's. The only difference, in Bayley's eyes, is that "the closeness of apartness has necessarily become the closeness of closeness." Bayley's view on marriage is a refreshing change from the normal stereotypes.

This book is thoroughly enjoyable and heartwarming, yet at the same time poignantly sad. To watch as Bayley slowly loses the woman who was his wife to a woman who recalls almost nothing of their life together, yet continues to cling to Bayley as if he were her last hope, is slightly depressing. Yet, as his memories show, Bayley and Iris lived a rich, full life together- it is heartwarming to watch them fall in love, marry, and grow together in their relationship. Bayley runs the full gamut of emotions in this personal narrative-and what's more, he makes the reader do the same.

Emmy's son Freddy is in nursery school. She falls out of love with her husband. Her husband, Holman Turner, is an instructor at Convers College. Previously Emmy always found herself in Convers or at Convers College in the summer. Members of her family thought of the place as their spiritual home. A Mrs. Rabbage arrives at the house to clean. Houses owned by the college are rented out to the faculty in accordance with rank. Holman and Emmy are able to afford to rent on their own since Emmy has her own investment-derived income. Too, they have two cars. The couple makes a ceremony of the cocktail hour.

The Humanities C course at Convers is famous. All incoming instructors are compelled to teach it and freshman are compelled to take it. Holman wants to discover the inner power politics of the course and of his department. He is equipped since he understands the Socratic method. Hum C reminds Emmy of Emerson's "Self-Reliance". Emmy's family, the Stockwells, are college donors and all of the men of the family attend the school.

The climate of Convers has been described as worse than Edinburgh. Holman and Emmy attend a party at the Fenns' house. Julian and Miranda are not ready for their guests. Their children, Charles, Richard, and Katie, have let the cat, Hecate, indoors and she has made a mess. At dinner Holman realizes that both he and Miranda have moved up in terms of social class. Emmy and Miranda become friends and Emmy visits Miranda in order to escape from the talkative Mrs. Rabbage. The old stove at the Fenns' house causes a fire. The college stands to lose money since the house is not properly insured. It is maintained the family is at fault and Julian's rudeness leads to his loss of employment at Convers.

Julian Fenn and the others have been told that they are at Convers to deal with ideas. A friend tells Emmy that she has imaginary scruples and guilts that she has picked up from her husband. It is improper, the instructors of Hum C are told, to incite students to take action.

The author uses dialogue, other conventional means, and an epistolary device to drive the story. It is droll fare.

I just finished reading this book which was published forty years ago. I love the book because it is a preternaturally accurate and insightful portrayal of Amherst College as it existed in the mid-1950s. I know because I was a student at Amherst in the class of '57. There are many characters who are instantly identifiable as real people at Amherst, such as James Merrill and the renowned (or infamous) professor Theodore Baird ["Oswald McBain"]. I don't know how enjoyable the book will be for readers without an Amherst connection. But for me, it's wonderful, because I disliked Amherst College as much as many of the novel's major characters do, and as Alison Lurie herself obviously did when she was there, married to an English instructor. I'm happy because, when my classmates and I are gone, posterity will remember Amherst as I knew it and as Ms. Lurie has depicted it. Ah, redemption!

Alison Lurie hasn't the greatest of ranges as a writer, but is top rate at what she does. This is a good example of her writing, perhaps not as good as "Foreign Affairs" or "Lorin Jones", but well worth reading.

Like most of Ms. Lurie's novels, this one has a great sense of place (New England), characters you can care about and periodic flashes of humour. It's not exactly set in academia (cf. "The War Between the Tates"), but a New England university is at the centre of the novel. The almost mystical relationship betweeen Convers College and its graduates / staff is beautifully evoked, as are some of the petty bitching between its academics. By the end of the novel, I felt I'd been there.

I just finished reading this book which was published forty years ago. I love the book because it is a preternaturally accurate and insightful portrayal of Amherst College as it existed in the mid-1950s. I know because I was a student at Amherst in the class of '57. There are many characters who are instantly identifiable as real people at Amherst, such as James Merrill and the renowned (or infamous) professor Theodore Baird ["Oswald McBane"]. I don't know how enjoyable the book will be for readers without an Amherst connection. But for me, it's wonderful, because I disliked Amherst College as much as many of the novel's major characters do, and as Alison Lurie herself obviously did when she was there, married to an English instructor. I'm happy because, when my classmates and I are gone, posterity will remember Amherst as I knew it and as Ms. Lurie has depicted it. Ah, redemption!

I began reading Ms. Lurie's collection with her most recent "The Last Resort", which I enjoyed. I then decided to read preceding books like "The Nowhere City" and then "Love and Friendship". Nowhere City wasn't bad, but had pretty much the same characters and circumstances as The Last Resort but just in a different setting. As for Love and Friendship, it has taken me quite awhile to get through the book. I must say that I am happy to see Ms. Lurie grow in her writing but for goodnes sake write about something else than a professor and a wife in a marriage gone bad and extra-marrital affairs. Every book is the same. I would recommend choosing one of her books, particularly the later editions, and not read any others because they aren't any different.

If you live in the Northeastern US, or want to attend college there, then this is the book you should buy first. It offers the best of the best public & private colleges in that area. Granted, it doesn't contain all colleges in the area, but most of them. The book includes the best from Maine, Vermont, New Hampshire, New York, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Delaware, Maryland, Connecticut, Rhode Island and Massachusetts. As someone who wants to attend college in one of these states, I feel that this book gave me valuable insight on some of the colleges that I have interest in. (On a side note, it should be known that private colleges outnumber the public, which makes sense, after all it is the
"Best".

Lacked something? Not excited over this purchase.
I was able to benefit somewhat (alittle) from the contents.

From shifts of conciousness by brushes with death,Mystical unions and much more this book is filled with true life stories of actual people and events. I found this book to be very entertaining. It switches from different styles of writing due to the many authors,From statistical commentary on death;spiritual enlightenment and the light.. switching from cyberspace to inner space of ones soul it is to say the least an unusual read.. and its parting thoughts are quotes from many authors... good rainy afternoon read

I ordered Peterson's New England Colleges at the same time as the all-inclusive Peterson's 4 year colleges. While the larger volume is probably a necessity anyway, its 3200 pages makes it a little overwhelming and a little too cumbersome for easy reading. Furthermore, you find yourself suddenly looking at colleges in places that you have no intention of ever going! The smaller New England version is much more manageable, and it's something that you're much more likely to pick up and page through. The state-by-state setup is good and helps you focus on where you really want to be. I've just ordered the Mid-Atlantic version also, again - for ease of accessing the information.